And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.

2 KINGS 5:7KJV
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2 Kings 5:7 (KJV)

What does 2 Kings 5:7 mean?

2 Kings 5:7 describes the king of Israel’s fearful reaction when he reads a letter asking him to heal a man of leprosy. The king tears his clothes in distress, saying he is not God and cannot heal or give life, and suspects the request is a trick meant to start trouble with him.

The king of Israel is responding to a letter from the king of Aram (Syria), who has sent Naaman, a commander with leprosy, to be healed. The king’s act of tearing his clothes shows deep anxiety and helplessness, because healing leprosy was seen as something only God could do. The king fears that the impossible request is a setup, possibly to create an excuse for conflict between the two nations.

The Hebrew behind 2 Kings 5:7

  • God (אֱלֹהִים, ’elohim): The king uses this word to stress that only God has the power “to kill and to make alive.” He is admitting his human limits and highlighting that such miracles are beyond any king’s authority.
  • Rent (קָרַע, qara‘): Tearing one’s clothes was a common way in ancient Israel to show extreme grief, fear, or distress. The king’s action signals to everyone around him just how serious and troubling he finds this request.
  • Quarrel (אָנָה, ’anah): The word here means a legal dispute or a pretext for conflict. The king suspects that the foreign ruler is looking for an excuse to accuse Israel or justify aggression if the healing does not happen.

Why 2 Kings 5:7 matters

  • This verse shows the king of Israel’s lack of faith or awareness that God could work through his prophets, setting the stage for Elisha’s later role in the story.
  • The king’s reaction highlights the seriousness of leprosy in the ancient world—it was seen as incurable by human means, reserved for divine intervention.
  • The verse helps explain the political tension between Israel and Aram, showing how even a request for healing could be viewed with suspicion and fear of war.